34. Ella
34
***Ella***
W hen I got home that night, I rushed upstairs and straight to Booth’s room. I knocked before I could chicken out and as soon as he answered, I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you. For earlier. I didn’t get a chance to thank you because of…everything…so I just wanted to say it… So, thank you.”
He leaned against his door frame after I slipped out of his arms and watched me. “I’m sorry I ran off. I was jealous.”
I rocked back on my heels like he’d slapped me. I had to open and close my mouth a few times before I could form my thoughts into a sentence. I wasn’t used to such blatant honesty. “You were jealous?”
He nodded. “I’m doing my best to be a better friend to Vaughn but it isn’t easy. Seeing Fish get to touch you is hard. So, yeah, I was jealous. I wanted to be the one holding you.”
My cheeks heated and I stammered. Hearing him admit it so openly was somehow both butterfly-inducing and a balm to my wounded ego. I’d been convinced that he hadn’t liked what we’d done or that Vaughn had told him about what we’d done in the library. He’d pulled back from me hard and while I understood it, I didn’t like it. “You were jealous.”
He smiled and his dimples made it devastating. “I was jealous. Am jealous.”
“You are jealous.” I realized I was starting to sound like an idiot and shook my head. “Sorry. I just spent the last two weeks thinking that I’d done something wrong so I’m a little shocked.”
“You thought you’d done something wrong?”
I smirked up at him. “Now you’re repeating me .”
He glanced down the hallway and his jaw muscles clenched. “You did nothing wrong.”
“Vaughn found my panties in your room. If the way he came after me was anything like the way he came after you, I assume it wasn’t pretty.” I looked down at Vaughn’s door and sighed. Things were weird.
“He was more hurt than I expected.” Booth stepped forward and brushed his knuckle down my cheek. “I don’t want to be a bad friend.”
I nodded as a heavy weight settled over my chest. It was for the best. One of us had to be strong enough to stay away from the other. It clearly wasn’t going to be me. “I get it.”
“No, you don’t. I don’t want to be a bad friend but I’m going to be. I can’t watch other guys touch you and keep my sanity, Ella.” His cheeks went pink. “I called my mom and tried to talk to her about it today. That’s how close I am to losing my mind. She thought I was gay and was super disappointed that I’m not. It was a whole thing that I wish I could’ve avoided.”
I snorted. “She thought you were gay? If she only knew…”
“Really, Ella?” He shook his head. “She’ll never know because I’m not going to ever tell my mother how much I like eating your-”
“Incoming.” Fisher hurried our way after spotting us. “Vaughn is about two minutes behind me.”
I looked at the two of them and felt my own sanity slipping away. “I have to go…”
Booth looked at Fisher and then back at me. “Vaughn has dinner with the coach and his wife tomorrow night. Those things go on for hours.”
Fisher nodded. “My room?”
I nodded hard and fast. “Yep. That sounds… Yep.”
Booth smirked at me, the confidence oozing off of him so damn sexy that I wanted to throw caution to the wind and jump into his arms right then and there. “Think of us, Ella.”
I flushed and nearly choked on a giggle before turning and speed walking down to my room. I’d just reached my door when I heard the downstairs door slam shut. I let out a relieved breath and locked myself in my bathroom to call Mom.
I thought about Booth calling his own mom and caught my reflection grinning like an idiot in the mirror. I turned away from that version of myself and sat on the counter. As soon as Mom answered, I whispered as much as I could at her. “Mom, I need help. It’s about sex. Please don’t be weird.”
“Oh, my god!” Her voice was so loud, even without the phone being on speaker, that when she talked to someone in the background, I was able to make out every word. “Put that thing away for a second, Carl. My daughter needs sex advice!”
I groaned. “Mom!”
“Okay. What do you need help with? I know you’re not a virgin, so anal? Is it anal?”
“Mom! No!” My skin was on fire as I tried to remember why I’d thought it was a good idea to call her. “It’s not about that. It’s…something else.”
“What? Tell me! I’m dying here.”
“You’re not the one with blue balls, lady.” A man’s voice sounded out from the background.
“Oh, my god. Mom.”
She read the horror in my voice. “Oh, relax. We weren’t hooking up yet. Carl’s fine. Ignore him. I am.”
I focused on the reason I’d called her and blew out a big breath. I knew I was insane for wanting her opinion but I wasn’t sure I could trust myself. “So. You know how I slept with two of my roommates?”
“Yes! And I’m so proud of you for that.”
I shook my head. “Okay, anyway. I think I just set up a date to have sex with both of them. At the same time.”
Her screams were of pure joy.
Talking through her screams, I pressed on. “I just need to know. Is it okay? What I’m feeling, what I want… Am I messed up?”
“Messed up? No, you’re not messed up! You’re living your best life finally, baby!” I heard a door closing on her end and when she spoke again, I would’ve sworn her voice sounded a little watery. “Baby, this is amazing. You’re coming into your sexual nature and I’m so proud of you. I know I joke a lot but the power you can feel from taking charge of your sex life is huge, Ella. Letting go of expectations that have been forced on you by one very uptight society is the best version of freedom.”
I sniffed and fanned at my eyes to keep from crying. “Not all moms would be so cool with this… Thank you.”
“Okay, so let’s talk logistics. Taking two men isn’t easy, if the men are any good. You’re going to want-”
“Mom?” I cut her off. “I still don’t want to talk details. I just wanted to know that it’s okay, I guess.”
“Oh, boo.” She laughed happily. “It’s more than okay, Ella Rae. Are you sure you don’t want some tips?”
“Positive. I love you, Mom. Go back to your date.”
“You’ve inspired me. I think I’ll have Carl call his brother.” She heard me gag and cackled. “There’s my uptight baby! I love you!”